Shepard: Before the Alliance
by ChristinaN7
Summary: This is a story of my own Mass Effect Universe. I will rewrite Bioware's story, so a lot of things will be different. This is about Shepard's high school years. I hope that you can look past the changes I am making the story to enjoy what I am writing.
1. Chapter 1

_ 'Am I really going to do this?'_ This is the thought that passed through Christina Shepard's head that Sunday night during dinner. Tina had been wanting to ask her parents if she could go to Willard School for Extraordinary Children. Willard was a school on the Citadel that was open to any child with special talents in biotics or tech, and Tina was an amazing biotic. Her powers were on level with some asari.

"Tina, what is wrong?" said Tina's mother Hannah. Tina always thought her mother was beautiful, unlike herself. Hannah had forest green eyes, where Tina had golden green eyes. Her mother had long, blonde hair, where she had short, chocolate brown hair.

"Hey kiddo! You are spacing out again," said Tina's father Johnathan. Her father was a tall man with golden eyes and brown hair. His face was always clean shaven, and was a model soldier.

"Can I ask you guys something?" asked Tina.

"You just did!" remarked Johnathan. That comment got him a well-deserved elbow to the gut from his wife.

"Of course, sweetie! You know that you can ask us anything," replied Hannah. Tina did know this, but it did not make asking her parents any easy.

"Can I go to Willard?"

"Yes, you can," said Hannah.

"You were right, honey." said Johnathan.

"Wait! What? No questions on why? What do you mean she was right?" questioned Tina.

Both of Tina's parents started to laugh when they saw the look of confusion on Tina's face. "First of all, I am your mother so I know everything. I said you were going to ask us about this tonight. Second of all, we think you going to Willard would be a good thing. Finally, when you used my computer last week, you left the school's extranet page open." Hannah informed her daughter. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you would ask us if you could go."

"Oh. Ok," said Tina quietly. She was a little upset that her parents already knew, but at least they said that she could go.

"We are going to tour the campus tomorrow, so you might want to go to bed early tonight," said Johnathan. This go Tina excited.

"Okay! I am going to go get ready for bed! Love you!" She said happily to her parents, as she put her plate in the sink. Afterwards, she both gave them a hug and kiss good night. Some kids her age might think that this was childish, but she didn't because she didn't get to see her parents often. She went to the bathroom, and quickly got ready for bed. _'Finally,'_ thought Tina, _'I am going to get to go to the same school for all four years of high school. Sadly, I won't be able to see my parents even less than I do now.'_ This thought quickly left Tina's head as she fell asleep, ready for tomorrow to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Early that Friday morning, Tina got up and got ready to go to the school. '_Today's the day!' _she thought. She brushed her teeth and tried to bring order to her scruffy hair, but failed. She threw on her cargo pants and sneakers. She wore a plain white t-shirt under her 'Alliance Brat' zip-up. She clipped her omni-tool around her wrist, and grabbed her omni-buds just in case she had nothing to do.

"Good morning, Kiddo!" Johnathan called to her as she left her small room.

"Morning!" she said with glee and a huge smile on her face.

"How did you sleep last night?" asked Hannah, as she was making eggs and pancakes for the three of them.

"Great! I can't wait to go and tour the campus!" Tina said.

"We can tell." both her parents stated.

"What wrong with that?" Tina inquired.

"Nothing, but we already knew that!" said Hannah as she served breakfast.

For the rest of the meal nothing was said. After they finished breakfast, they cleaned their dishes and headed out. The ship Hannah and Johnathan were serving on was on shore leave at the Citadel, so this made it easier on the family. Once they set foot on the dock, Tina went to the end of it.

"Wow! This place is amazing!" Tina said. It was her first time on the Citadel.

"Yeah it is! Well come on kiddo, we don't want to be late," Johnathan said. Hannah was already in the elevator when Johnathan and Tina joined her. They rode the elevator down to docking floor. When they reached the docking floor, they ran into an important person.

"Hello Ambassador." Johnathan said.

"Hello. I don't believe we met before. I am Ambassador Anita Goyle, and you are?" Goyle said, as she extended her hand.

"I am Gunnery Chief Johnathan Shepard, ma'am. This is my wife, Commander Hannah Shepard, and this our daughter Christina." Johnathan said, as Goyle shook each of their hands.

"I am sorry to cut this meeting short, but I must meet with Captain Hackett." said Goyle as she walked passed the family and entered the elevator. "Have a nice day!"

"You too, Ambassador." said Hannah, as Johnathan called a cab. As they rode to the school, Tina listened to her music to try to calm her nerves. As they got close to the school, Hannah turned to face her daughter.

"Are you ready?" asked Hannah, with concern for the nervous look on her child's face.

"As ready as I will ever be," Tina said, noticing that her voice was shaking.

"You are going to be fine, kiddo." Johnathan said. This helped Tina's confidence grow. The sky car landed, and the family stepped out and say the school.

"Wow!" said Shepard in amazement.


	3. Chapter 3

"This school is amazing!" Tina exclaimed. The school that was in front of Tina had pictures that didn't do it justice. The school was made of a silver-colored metal, Thessian steel Tina guessed, which made it stand out against the black sky of Tayseri Ward. The school was large with two wings, the biotics wing and the tech wing. The main entrance to the school had large double doors, above which read, "Willard School of Extraordinary Children" in ornate lettering. All of a sudden, an asari walked out of the double doors to greet them.

"Welcome to the Willard School of Extraordinary Children," said the asari. Tina noticed that she had the intricate markings of silver lines that resembled a labyrinth. Tina would have guessed for the way that asari carried herself, that she was late in the matron stage. "I am Headmistress Nalia Salandria, and your name is?" Nalia asked.

"My name is Christina Shepard," Tina said as she extended a shaky hand. Nalia shook Tina's hand as she introduced her parents. "This is my mother, Hannah, and my father, Johnathan."

"You have nothing to worry about Christina. Your marks in all your classes excel beyond what we require." explained Nalia. This helped Tina on the outside, but didn't stop her from being a nervous wreck on the inside.

"See! I told you only having one B that you were going to get in. Not everyone can be good at Standard language." Hannah pointed out. What Hannah didn't realize is that this made her daughter blush. Tina didn't like her parents bragging about her, even though they did this because they were proud of her.

Nalia chuckled at this statement and the look on Tina's face. "Well, let us get on with this tour shall we. As you know the term starts on Monday, but I will be giving you your schedule today," Nalia directed to Tina. "You will get your dorm room and key today, so you can move you things in over the weekend, but it is unlikely you will meet your roommate today."

"Okay," said Tina. She liked Nalia, because she spoke with a kind, parent-like voice, unlike other boarding school headmasters and mistresses. '_So at least on Monday I won't have to worry about trying to get my things in while other students are too. I could even help my roommate and try to get to know her.' _

"Every month, you get a day off to spend time with friends and family, but your parents are welcome to come at any time they can." Nalia brought the Shepards around the school as she explained what the school offered for classes and extra-curriculars. "This is an open campus but we expect you to travel in groups. If we find you are misusing this trust or are brought in by C-Sec, we will take the correct action, whether it is a day of not leaving campus, to getting that privilege taken away from you, or being expelled. We don't give many chances, Miss Christina, so I suggest you behave."

"Yes, ma'am." Tina was not worried, because she didn't plan on getting in trouble.

"Pranks are allowed as long as they don't harm anyone's life or well-being. We feel that this helps instill a creative, yet safe, environment for our students to excel in." Nalia saying this made Tina light up. She always loved a harmless prank, whether on the giving or receiving end, but she preferred the giving end.

"Here is my office. Christina you can explore the campus further if you wish. Your parents and I must work on finishing your paperwork." Nalia said.

"Okay, and Miss Nalia?"

"Yes?"

"I prefer to be called Tina if that is alright."

"That is fine Tina."

Nalia saying Tina instead of Christina brought a smile to Tina's face as she walked away. Tina thought she would go see the courtyard, and maybe the dorms. As Tina took a step outside, she didn't realize her sneakers became untied, causing her to trip and she couldn't stop herself from falling. She tried to use her biotics as she realized that she was taking someone down with her. She stopped herself and the other student.

"I am so sorry!" Tina exclaimed. '_The first person my age I meet and I blow it by tripping over my shoelaces, and making a fool of myself.' _Tina brought both of them to a standing position as she felt her face get hot. She quickly bent down to tie her shoe, so the other student wouldn't see her face.

"It is okay, accidents happen. It is not like we always can watch our shoes to make sure they are tied." Tina heard a young girl's voice say. They both chuckled. Tina could tell by the voice that they were the same age. When Tina looked up, it was an asari no older than herself. '_Nalia has an air of elegance about herself, but this girl, she is kinda cute and seems easy to talk to.' _This helped the blush go from Tina's cheeks. The young asari's face was a little purple, and Tina wondered why. They stood there just watching each other for a while, when Tina heard her father.

"Hey kiddo, we are going back to the ship to grab your things to make it easier on Monday. Let's go." Tina being embarrassed quickly ran away. This upset the asari, but she would not let it show.

'_I like her while she is very modest she seems like she is very kind.' _This is what passed through the young asari's mind as she saw her mom walking towards her.

"Well are you sure you want to go to school here?" the asari's mother asked.

"Yes I am sure." the asari replied.

"Okay, Liara. As long as you are sure."


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright, kiddo. That's all your stuff." Johnathan said. "I am so sorry that this weekend got cut short." Hannah and Johnathan had gotten called off of shore leave early, so Tina had to spend that Sunday on the campus.

"It is not your fault," Tina said. "You can't control when you are needed to go. Emergencies happen." As she was saying this, Tina was trying to hold back tears. When stuff like this happens, Tina wouldn't let herself cry.

Hannah just walked into the room, and saw Tina. She said, "You know, crying doesn't make you weak. It makes you stronger." As Hannah said this, she pulled Tina into a hug. "Don't hold it back." Tina just started crying while her mother held her. Johnathan came over and held his wife and daughter.

"Thanks," Tina said.

"Well, we have to go. I am so sorry sweetie." Hannah did not want to leave Tina, but they got an emergency call to report to the fleet.

"Can I walk you to the dock?"

"No, you need to stay in the area. It is too far of a walk." Johnathan wanted to let his daughter walk with them, but it was too far of a walk, "and you can't drive, yet."

"Okay, then let me at least walk you to the front entrance," Tina said. She wanted to prolong her parents leaving as much as she could.

"That is fine, sweetie." Hannah had tears in her eyes.

They left Tina's dorm room to head out. They entered the stairway, since the elevator was under maintenance, but just as Tina started going down the stairs, she tripped over her own feet. She fell down the flight of stairs. As Tina tried to get her bearing to stop herself she felt herself run into someone else and she ended up taking them with her.

"Oh my god. I am so sorry." Tina said this as she got a look at the asari's face. Tina recognized the face. "Well, it seems every time we meet I am falling. My name is Christina Shepard, but I prefer to be called…."

"Tina!" Hannah and Johnathan called.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asked as she checked her daughter's body for injuries.

"I am fine, Mom. Well you know my name, what is yours?" Tina asked this as she extended her hand to the asari.

"I am Liara T'Soni. It is nice to meet you. Liara replied.

"Well kiddo, you now have met someone your own age!" Johnathan then checked his omni-tool. "Oh shit! We have to run. You want to stay here?"

"Yeah, sure! I love you guys." Tina said, as tears returned to her eyes.

"We will see you soon sweetie." Hannah then kissed her daughter on the forehead goodbye.

"You okay?" Liara asked.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I am surprised I thought I was the only one going to be staying tonight" Tina replied '_So I am not the only one having to stay tonight. I am kinda glad.' _ "Do you need any help getting your things to your dorm?"

"Well first, I need to find my room. Do you know where room 213 is?"

"I hope I do! That is my room too!" Tina was kinda happy.

Tina helped Liara bring up her things, started to unpack and soon their room was a maze of boxes. Tina started to unpack her things. The room was a decent size, bigger than her room on any ship she lived on. There was two beds that were a decent size. There were two desks and chairs of decent sizes. Outside of the bathroom was a double sink and long mirror. There was a decent size shower, bigger than any Tina had seen on the ships.

"You okay? You haven't been talking much." Liara asked. '_Maybe this is overwhelming for her.'_

"Yeah, I am fine. I am used to not always seeing my parents, but that doesn't make it any easier." Tina had a lot on her mind. '_I wonder if I should tell her about me being a lesbian. I don't know. I don't want to chase away the first friend I have made, but I don't want to creep her out. I really like her, and I don't know how, but she hasn't left my thoughts since Friday.'_

"I understand. My mother isn't always around too, and this is hard for me too." Liara got to thinking. '_I finally meet her and she is still in my thoughts, since we first met. What is going on with me?' _


	5. Chapter 5

Tina looked at her schedule for the first time since she got it. '_Oh no! Why am I taking ballroom dancing?'_

"You okay?" Liara asked. '_She looks terrified of something. I wonder what.'_

"I am taking ballroom dancing."

"So am I. What is the problem with that?"

"Let's just leave it at the fact that I have two left feet, have no rhythm, and I can only dance a lead. I also don't own any heels."

"Well then I think I have found my partner. You can lead."

"Okay, but I am sorry if I step on your toes." Tina was happy, '_At least I am going to know who I am dancing with.' _ "Well I am going to go walk around since I am ready. Do you want to meet at the cafeteria?"

"Sure!" This brought a smile to Tina's face. '_She sure has a pretty smile.'_

Tina left the room and started to roam the halls. '_I am surprised! I thought there would be more people around.' _Tina looked at her omni-tool to check the time. '_Okay, that may be why. It is Monday, no one really moves in until today.'_

"So nerd, you gonna do our work for us this year?" said a male voice. Tina didn't recognize the voice, but when she turned the corner she saw four guys, one scrawny guy, who had short, red hair, being held up by two others who were quite big, and the fourth, who was also pretty big, holding his arm to the scrawny guy's throat.

"Hey, here's an idea put him down!" Tina said.

"How 'bout you mind your own business?" the fourth guy said. "You got a death wish or somethin'?" He started to walk towards Tina.

"I suggest that you don't touch me," Tina said. "It won't end well for you!"

"Oh really. And what is a little girl like you going to do to me?" As he was saying these words, he grabbed Tina's shoulder.

"Big mistake." After she said this, Tina grabbed the guys are and flipped him without even using her biotics. "Now you might want to rethink your next move, because if you thought I was here for tech, you are sadly mistaken." Tina let go of the boy's wrist as the other two put the scrawny boy down. "Hey, my name is Christina Shepard, but I prefer Tina. What is your name?" Tina ask as she picked up and handed him his datapad.

"My name is Kenneth Donelly, but I prefer Ken," Ken replied.

"What has happened here?" Nalia asked.

"Uh oh!" Tina and Ken said at the same time.

"This girl twisted my wrist for no reason!" the boy said.

"That is not what happened!" Ken looked furious. "You attacked me to try and get me to do your homework. Then Tina turned the corner and told them to leave me alone. He went and grabbed her shoulder and then Tina acted. She had only acted in self-defense."

Nalia looked at her omni-tool, and looked at what looked like a security clip. "Ken and Tina, you may go. You three boys will be coming with me to my office."

"Hey, thanks for standing up for me." Tina said.

"No problem! You did right by me I will do right by you." Ken replied.

"Well, thanks anyway." '_I like this guy. He seems very kind and like someone I can trust.'_

"So do you want to hang out? I mean it seems like we are the only ones in the school."

"Oh shit! I was supposed to meet Liara at the cafeteria. You can come with, if you want."

"Thanks, I will!"

Both Ken and Tina ran to the cafeteria not knowing that two people were there waiting for them.


	6. Chapter 6

'_Well now that I am done unpacking, I should head down to the cafeteria to meet Tina. She is really nice to me,' _Liara thought as she left her room. Liara was so deep in thought that she didn't see the girl that she walked into.

"By the Goddess. I am so sorry I wasn't paying attention are you all right?" Liara said. Then the girl turned around and Liara got a good look of her. She was average height with short black hair. From the way she carried herself, the girl seemed kind.

"Oh, I am fine. It is not like you I feel to the ground or anything. My name is Gabriella Daniels, but my family calls me Gabby. What is your name?" Gabby asked as she extended her hand.

"I am Liara T'Soni."

"Well it is nice to meet you Liara. Are you here for biotics?"

"Yes, and what are you coming here for?"

"Tech, I eventually want to become a propulsion engineer for the Alliance."

"Nice, well do you want to join me and my roommate for breakfast?"

"Are you sure she won't mind?"

"Of course not, I think she is very kind?"

"Thank you, you are the first upperclassman that I have met that has been nice to me?"

"Oh, I am not an upperclassman, I am a freshman!" Liara said with a giggle. This caused Gabby to relax and laugh. Liara and Gabby took the elevator and headed to the cafeteria. Shortly after they got there, Liara heard a familiar voice.

"No, I am a freshman just like you, but instead of taking tech I am here for biotics." Tina said. She turned her head from Ken, to Liara and Gabby. "Hey Liara, this is Kenneth Donnelly, prefers to be called Ken. Ken, this is my friend Liara T'Soni." The fact that Tina had called Liara a friend after knowing for such a short time, made Liara's face turn a light purple.

"Nice to meet you," said Ken as he extended his hand in Liara's direction. Liara shook his hand, and turned to Tina.

"Well, this is Gabriella Daniels. Gabby, this is Tina." Liara said. Tina and Gabby shook hands.

"I am hungry, so I am going to go get some food." Gabby said. This made everyone laugh. They entered the cafeteria, and enjoyed their breakfast. What they didn't know, is that this was going to be the start of a long lasting friendship.


	7. Chapter 7

Tina had gotten up early the following morning so that she could work out before class. When she got back to her room, she had grabbed her clothes and went to get in the shower. What she didn't realize was that Liara wasn't asleep in her bed. She opened the door to the bathroom without thinking. When she looked up she saw Liara, naked, getting ready after she had gotten out of her shower. Seconds after Tina opened the door, Liara turned around.

"Ahhh!" Liara screamed.

Tina quickly turned around and closed the door. She felt her face flush red with embarrassment. When Liara looked at herself in the mirror, her face was a deep purple. Liara quickly finished getting ready, and left the bathroom. As she left the bathroom, Liara and Tina looked at each other for a second, seeing the other's face flushed with embarrassment.

'_I have to tell her it is only right.'_ Tina thought. "Hey Liara, I need to tell you something."

"Yeah Tina?"

"I am gay. I figured I should tell you now. Don't worry, I would understand if you wouldn't want me as your roommate..." Tina started to say before Liara cut her off.

"First of all, I don't care that you are gay. Second of all, I think you are a very nice person, and I enjoy your company. I am not switching roommates, or dance partners. Okay?"

"All right!" This caused Tina to perk up. Tina quickly got ready, and afterwards, she and Liara went down to the cafeteria to meet Gabby and Ken for breakfast. They ate their breakfast with conversations about their schedules. Tina and Liara had ballroom dance for first period, and then biotics together. Ken had electrical fundamentals class while Gabby had propulsion theory, then they both had tech. Ken and Tina both were taking Standard language, while Liara and Gabby had mathematics, Tina and Liara had chemistry together, while Ken had advanced mathematics, and Gabby had advanced standard language. Then they all had lunch together. They all stopped talking as they heard the bell.

"Well see, you two later. Come on, Liara. We don't want to be late for class." Tina said, as she helped Liara out of her seat.

'_Wait is she flirting with me now?' _Liara thought. Liara was going to ponder upon this but her thoughts were soon interrupted by their teacher.

"So are you two going to be partners?" the teacher asked.

"Yes." Tina and Liara said at the same time. This caused them both to giggle.

"Okay then."

When class started, the teacher instructed the class to get with their partners. When Tina looked around she saw that there were many different species, but it was predominately asari, turian, salarian, and human. Tina fumbled through the class, but she didn't step on Liara's feet, but the class had just started.

"You okay? You have seemed off since this morning." Liara asked.

'_How do you tell a girl that you like her when you have only known her for three days? I mean I have been dreaming about her! That is not normal!'_ "Yeah I am fine." Tina lied. "I am just trying to get used to the new sleeping schedule" '_Well that wasn't a total lie. I am trying to just to the new schedule I am on.'_

"Okay…" Liara wasn't convinced. '_Maybe she shares the feelings that you have for her! No, she can't! _ _I mean, how can you have feelings for someone you just meet?'_


	8. Chapter 8

Tina went through the rest of the day with Liara on her mind. She kept watching her in biotics class. She kept thinking of ways to tell her that she liked her in language class. Liara never left her mind, and by the time that lunch came around, she was determined that she had to tell Liara how she felt. As Tina walked towards the cafeteria she saw Liara.

"Hey Liara! I need to talk to you" Tina said nervously. 'I was so confident in the ways that you could tell her you liked her in language class, but now you can't say anything to her without sounding really nervous.' Just as Tina was thinking this Ken walked up behind her.

"What, are you going to tell her you like her?" Ken asked. This got Tina so nervous, that she ran to the bathroom, thinking that she was going to puke. "I was just joking. That is a weird reaction to a joke." Gabby walked up just as he finished his statement.

"What joke? Where's Tina?" Gabby said, since she missed what just happened.

"Oh, nothing." Ken replied, nervously.

Liara went to the bathroom to check on Tina.

"Are you okay?" Liara asked.

"Yeah I am fine. My stomach just turned." Tina said. 'Once again not a lie. You did feel like you were going to be sick.'

"You know you are a bad liar."

"I am not lying."

"Well anyway, what did you want to tell me?"

"It can wait until later. Let's go eat lunch."

Tina walked out of the bathroom with Liara, and they grabbed their lunches. They found Ken and Gabby sitting at the table they were sitting at for breakfast.

"You feeling better?" Ken asked.

"Yeah I am fine." Tina replied.

"What happened?" Gabby asked.

"My stomach just turned." Tina said. "So how did tech go for you guys?"

"Well we got paired up as a team for the year." Gabby said, with joy in her voice that she tried to hide.

"Also, we have class with the friend we made yesterday." Ken told Tina.

"Sounds like fun." Tina sarcastically replied, forgetting that she had food in her mouth. She quickly swallowed and then apologized. Everyone at the table just laughed the rest of their lunch period was filled with jokes and laughter. Soon the bell rang and they were each off to their own classes.

'Hopefully now that I saw Liara I won't think about her for the rest of the day until I see her again.' To Tina's dismay her thoughts about Liara just stronger. This caused Tina to decide that she had to tell Liara. When she was standing outside their dorm room, she started to get nervous and was thinking about walking away. Finally her hand reached the doorknob and she opened her door, not knowing what would happen next.


End file.
